Japanese Technology from the Future Friday!

This week it’s all nuclear: Japan continues international outreach with the very nuclear-friendly French (this year’s outreach began with Turkey and the UAE), and a UN science committee has determined that the Fukushima disaster is highly unlikely to cause increased levels of cancer among those living nearby. Troubling news for the logic-challenged anti-nuclear contingent.

Welcome to Japanese Technology from the Future Friday:
It’s already Friday west of the international dateline – here in Japan, it’s totally the future. The weekly JTFF is our somewhat technosnarky coverage of 2-5 particularly important, specifically Japan-related tech stories. Get yourself hip to the micro & macro that went down while North America was sleeping – check in with Akihabara News every Friday morning and BOOM! Ahead of the game, you win.

:: JTFF – June 7, 2013 ::

• Japan is a Proliferator of Nuclear Non-Proliferation (except for Energy tech)In addition to nuclear energy partnership/tech sharing deals with Turkey and the UAE, Japan is now romancing France with nuclear secrets. Maybe not fair to say it that way, but increased cooperation and tech sharing is a big part of the ongoing infusion of mutual cooperation announced during the French prime minister’s visit. It’s kinda double-dip ironic that whilst they’re sharing nuclear energy tech and co-promoting anti-nuclear weapons proliferation, as part of this new cooperation they’re also inking deals for sharing other kinds of military equipment. As with with most things, there are degrees of severity, one supposes.
[FRANCE & JAPAN PLAY NICE ON SEVERAL FRONTS - WASHINGTON POST VIA AP]

• Fukushima Disaster Unlikely to Cause More Cancer (but that’s unlikely to quiet the hard of thinking)Speaking of nuclear stuff, the United Nation’s Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) has determined that radiation pollution from the Fukushima component of the 2011 Tohoku disaster is almost certainly not going to cause increased levels of cancer. That’s some really great news. From the source, Chemistry World:

“Over 80 scientists from 18 countries used observed levels of radiation to estimate people’s exposure over time. After discussing the results at their annual meeting, the committee has concluded that it is unlikely that there will be any detectable health consequences of the accident, as the overall exposure of the Japanese population was low, or very low. It noted that even among highly exposed workers, there have been no radiation-related deaths or acute illnesses.”

But it’s not too convenient for a certain anti-nuclear/pro-environmental movement.
So here’s a fun game to play when you get off the internet:

Find yourself an anti-nuclear energy protestor. Then, ask the individual to count on one hand how many people have died from nuclear energy accidents, maintenance & mishaps, or just general usage, and also add up the environment impact of nuclear energy in the past, ohh… let’s say 20 years.

You’ll notice two things:1. Your interviewee basically has nothing to count, and 2. Areas of environmental impact aren’t much larger than Disney Land.

Okay, next, on their other hand, ask them count how many people have died in fossil fuel-related accidents in the same time period, and have them get out a map and a pen and draw a big circle around the Gulf of Mexico, and a big circle around the Middle East.

You’ll notice two more things:1. Your interviewee doesn’t have enough fingers in their entire family to count fossil fuel energy-related deaths, and 2. The Gulf of Mexico, which is what – 10 times the size of Japan, is polluted with crude oil gunk and mutated shrimp. Oh, and the Middle East is… well, the Middle East.

*It should be noted that, even though he is 500% correct and has crystal-clear, indisputable logic, these opinions on anti-nuclear protestors are exclusively those of the author and do not necessarily reflect any kind of official opinion or position of the website or other contributors or staff at Akihabara News.

But they’re the right opinions. Just sayin. -RJT

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Reno J. Tibke is the founder and operator of Anthrobotic.com, where the JTFF was born.